Chinese Export Silver Teapot Hoaching c1850 Start Price USD 2,050.00 Current Price USD 2,050.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 2,150.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Tuesday, September 02, 2008 End Time Friday, September 12, 2008 Location New England See more about 'Chinese Export Silver Teapot Hoaching c1850' Description RARE c1850 CHINESE EXPORT SILVER "HOACHING" TEAPOT; ELEGANT RAISED PEAR "OCTAFOIL" DESIGN; LAVISHLY DETAILED GRAPE AND LEAF, FLORAL AND BAMBOO DECORATION; ACANTHUS CAP REEDED VINE HANDLE; RAISED BUD FINIAL; EARLY RIVETED FOOT CONSTRUCTION; RARE "LOMBARDIC H" HALLMARK; NEVER MONOGRAMMED This is a beautifully designed and masterfully hand crafted early period, c1850 Chinese export silver tapot. From the famed Canton silversmith, Hoaching. Shown with a matching Hoaching cream pitcher. Already listed in separate auction. This teapot bear's Hoaching's Lombardic "H" mark. First identified by Forbes in his important text. It is a trade silver signature that is eagerly coveted by collectors. From our personal collection of over thirty years. Now offered on Ebay. The teapot in elegant raised pear design. Octafoil, or eight panels. This form is quite rare in trade silver. Especially pleasing to the eye. And quite difficult to execute. Given the additional bending and folding of the metal. Lavishly detailed grape and leaf, floral and streaming bamboo decoration. Each classic design themes in Chinese decorative arts for centuries. Extremely subtle artistic differences between the panels. For example, one grape and leaf panel with a ten grape cluster at top. In the other grape and leaf panel, that very cluster with nine grapes. Illustrating the hand crafted origin of the work. Beautifully cast acanthus cap, reeded vine form handle. Split and rolled at tapering lower end. Original ivory heat stops. Well wrought, two step domed cover. Thick, wavy overhang rim. Topped with beautifully hand carved raised bud finial, with two level leaf surround. The original hand cut silver fastner below. Hint of gilt to cover interior. The teapot is supported upon leaf and floral decorated domed base. Unlike most silver, in which the base is soldered to the body. Hoaching used three rivets to secure the two together. This form of construction is almost never observed in Chinese export. It is a centuries old technique. Dating back to Tang dynasty pieces. Never monogrammed. This extremely rare, c1850 Chinese export silver octafoil pear form Hoaching teapot is 7 inches handle to spout and 5 1/2 inches tall. Weighs 13 ounces. In excellent condition. Rich, glowing silver patina throughout. Handle secure, and retains original ivory heat stops. The interior cover with hint of original gold wash. The streaming floral, grape and leaf and bamboo decoration to body and foot retains its original crisp, vibrant hand chased detail. Two pin head size, perhaps 1/18-1/16th inch bumps to shield. Extremely well struck Lombardic or Gothic "H" to underside. For maker Hoaching. The identical hallmark is illustrated in Forbe's text, Figure 238. Also Chinese characters, in rectangular cartouche. For the discerning collector of the finest early period China trade silver. Focused upon the important trade silversmiths, such as Hoaching. This breathtaking Chinese export grape, leaf and bamboo teapot. Please feel free to inquire directly about this, or any item we've listed. Whether the item is alone or part of a set. We very much welcome your interest. We are collectors first. As such, we are quite easy to work with. We happily combine items when shipping, saving you costs. We ship twice weekly, usually US Postal Priority. Fully insured for domestic packages, and air parcel overseas. We charge a bit more than actual cost for custom size boxes, shipping materials and to pay for professional packing. We make great effort to accurately describe each item listed. Returns are accepted, if either condition, country of origin or dating is significantly incorrect. In such cases we refund your shipping costs as well. Like you, we are only human, and make mistakes. Hopefully, not too many. Remember, the items you see are antiques. Hence, have an expected amount of wear from normal use. As such, returning an item because we failed to mention the tiniest bit of wear, or barely discernible flaw is not acceptable. Nor do we accept returns based on buyer's remorse. Nor change of taste, or because a buyer did not realize how "small" four inches might be once in hand. Please note, Massachusetts residents are subject to sales tax. We have over 4219 feedbacks. And, are quite proud of our 99.9% rating. We received favorable notice in the March 12th, 2006 New York Times. Page 8, Business Section, in a well written article on silver collecting. Copy furnished upon request. From our personal collection, a fine mid 19th century coin silver basket by Edward & John Moore is illustrated in the cover article in May/June 2008 Silver Magazine. Enjoy....and good fortune in your bidding. Place a Bid!